Are Instagram Reels the New Home for D2C Brands?

Authored by Abhishek Maity, Co-Founder, Adbuffs

Since the advent of the technologically advanced era, digital penetration in the country has expanded exponentially paving the way for D2C brands to stay in the long run. New D2C brands are popping up in every retail segment due to the growing popularity of social media channels. This allows brands to engage in one-on-one interaction with customers boosting the D2C business model.

In emerging digitally driven markets like India, the D2C market is estimated to reach $100 billion by 2025, all because of the pivotal role played by social media platforms in carving out the immense potential of this segment. As more than 60% of the global population is on social media platforms, it is extremely crucial for D2C brands to curate a robust social media strategy for building a strong consumer network. Among all the social media channels, Instagram has emerged as the ideal marketing channel to promote D2C brands and their products.

Why use Instagram to promote D2C brands?

Instagram is the world’s most popular social media platform with more than a billion users, and India is the largest Instagram market globally with about 230 million active users. Over the past few years, Instagram has successfully positioned itself as the major communication, advertising and marketing channel for every D2C brands irrespective of the niche and size, making it an e-commerce-friendly platform.

Since the pandemic, online video consumption has also been on the rise paving the way for Instagram’s most dynamic feature- Reels. By leveraging this crowd-pulling feature, brands can transform their business strategy, as it presents the opportunity to reach a wider audience and increase engagement through captivating audio and visuals.

In today’s busy world, reels are more powerful in gaining viewers’ attention in less span. It helps in connecting with the audience where content is king and you have only a few seconds before people move down to the next piece of content.

Additionally, the ability to tag multiple people, have paid partnerships, and create trends have made it easier to reach a global audience, advertise products and ultimately boost sales.

360* Advertising

While adapting to the latest trends, Instagram reels offer a plethora of advertising opportunities for brands to capitalize on. Brands need to employ a 360-degree approach that will seamlessly take into account the budget, objective and target audience, helping them establish a stronger consumer network with the right kind of content.

By advertising on reels, brands can leverage their creative and innovative side for multiple purposes from generating traffic to views and links. Moreover, advertising on reels is increasingly becoming the most sought-after tool, given the application of the 60-30-10 rule of content creation wherein 60% of the posts carry engaging content while 30% should be shareable and 10% should be focused on brand promotion. This makes it a cost-friendly advertising medium for all D2C brands including startups.

Amplified Brand Awareness

Short video content plays a significant role in enhancing brand awareness, as a survey unveiled that 73% of respondents said that they are more likely to learn about new products or services through short videos. Thus, when it comes to E-commerce and D2C brands, reels assist in developing brand awareness and acquiring new followers by assimilating video content with useful and value-added information.

Further, leveraging the caption space provided by reels not only helps in delivering a clear message to the audience but gives brands additional space to mention the products used in the video. As a result, short videos are recognised as a great way to showcase products, highlight their benefits and make the customers familiar with the brand. Additionally, incorporating product links in reels also allows D2C brands to raise awareness ultimately driving sales.

Credibility and Engagement

Considering the fast-paced lives of consumers today, they prefer minimalistic yet engaging content that doesn’t require too much figuring out. Reels cater to these fluctuating consumer behaviours carving out space for brands in the proactive life of consumers with short videos.

As reels are more engaging than image content, brands participating in the latest Instagram reel trends and giving the trends their own twist stand unparalleled in the market. Brands making reels centered around their journey can make a huge impact on what customers think about the brand, going a long way in building trust. Along with this, reels allow brands to harness the potential of user-generated content, which helps in presenting products and brands in the right light, establishing the D2C brand as a credible business in the eyes of potential customers.

Final Thoughts

Instagram reels are definitely the appropriate choice for promoting D2C brands but it is pivotal for brands to evaluate whether their marketing strategy has hit the mark. By implementing Instagram’s performance tracking metrics, D2C brands can evaluate if their content is reaching the target audience and if they are generating the desired results. Thus, reels are an invaluable asset for all D2C brands creating unlimited growth opportunities.